Improvement in brooms



UNITED STATES WALTER M. JACKSON, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- PATENT Orrrca HALF-OF HIS RIGHT TO CHARLES H. JACKSON, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BROOMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 186,254, dated January 16,1877; application filed December 6, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER M. JACKSON, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brooms and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention consists in providing the handle ofa broom with a loose sleeve, whereby the friction of the handle on the hand is obviated, and the broom is left free to adjust itself to the floor, in such a manner as to cause its brush to wear evenly, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing my improved broom in the act of being used. Fig. 2 is a side view of a portion of the bandle, showing the improvement more in detail.

As ordinarily constructed brooms are made with a rigid handle, which, in the act of sweeping, is grasped by both hands, it being held loosely in the lower hand to permit it to turn more or less, and the friction of the bandle upon the hand, especially where there is much sweeping to be done, not unfrequently blisters the hand, or renders the same callous and hard. If the handle be grasped tightly by the lower hand, it soon tires the muscles of the hand and arm, besides causing the broom to bear more on one edge or corner of the brush than on the other, thereby bending and wearing the brush unevenly. It is to remedy these difficulties that my invention is designed; and to this end it consists in providing a loose sleeve, to be secured upon the handle at any desired point, where it is to be held by the lower hand.

In Fig. 2, A represents a portion of the handle of an ordinary broom, and B represents a short tube or sleeve slipped loosely on the handle A, and held in place by a ring, C, at

each end, these rings being secured to the handle by screws a, or in any other suitable manner. i

The sleeve B is made of suitable length to afford room for the hand, and is arranged so as to be perfectly free and loose on the handle,

so as to turn freely thereon, or rather to let the handle turn freely in the sleeve when the latter is held by the hand.

The tube B may be made of wood, or any suitable material; but I prefer to use a stiff paper tube for this purpose, it being light and durable, besides being cheap to make, and much less liable to splitthan if made of wood.

The rings 0 may be made of metal, wood, or paper, or any other suitable material, and may be moved on the handle by merely loosening the small screws 00, so as to adjust the sleeve B up or down on the handle A, to suit the convenience of different persons using the broom.

It is obvious that the rings may be dispensed with by simply making slots in the sleeve near its ends, and extending part way around, and inserting the screws a through these slots, this arrangement permitting the handle to turn in the sleeve as far as is required in the act of sweeping.

It will be readily seen that with this improvement the sleeve B may be held securely in the hand without any turning or friction on the hand, while the handle is left free to turn in the sleeve, and that hence the hand is relieved from all trouble from that source; and, further, that by holding the upper end of the handle loosely or lightly in the hand, the broom is left free to adjust itself to the floor in accordance with the angle at which it may be held, thereby causing the brush to bear evenly on the floor, and to wear with uniformity at all points, and preventing the excessive wear or bending of the brush at one corner, as is ordinarily the case.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The sleeve B, secured upon the handle of a broom, substantially as described, whereby it is left free to turn loosely on the handle, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The loosely-rotating sleeve B,constructed to be adjusted vertically on the handle, substantially as described.

In testimonythat I claim the foregoing as 7 my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER M. JACKSON. Witnesses:

JOHN G. PURKIS, GILMAN E. JOPP. 

